Jakarta – Culture Minister Fadli Zon has appointed Hashim Djojohadikusumo, the younger brother of President Prabowo Subianto, as the chairman of the Museums and Cultural Heritage Trustees Board.
The minister stated that Hashim is an ideal candidate for the role due to his enthusiasm for supporting museum development and willingness to work without pay.
"The board member will not receive a salary, but will assist in fundraising efforts," he said recently, as quoted by Tempo.co.
Hashim expressed his gratitude for the appointment. He said that since cofounding the Gerindra Party with his brother Prabowo and Fadli, they had envisioned a separate Culture Ministry, distinct from other ministries.
"I'm proud to have been part of that fight," he said.
Fadli said that the newly formed board is tasked with seeking philanthropists, particularly those with corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs focusing on museums or cultural heritage, as many museums require attention.
Ministry data reveal that there are 442 museums nationwide, with Jakarta and Central Java having the highest concentrations, each boasting 63 museums.
Some existing museums have reportedly been neglected, leading to the loss and damage of historical artifacts, such as the World War II Museum in Morotai, North Maluku.
Since taking office, Fadli has traveled across the country to visit museums, including the Banten Lama Archeological Museum in Serang, Banten; the Genggelang Village Museum in North Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara and the Mbah Maridjan Memorial Museum in Sleman, Yogyakarta.
Fadli envisions a future where museum development expands beyond Java, aiming for the country to be recognized as a "nation of a thousand museums".
"We have 400 museums, but they do not fully represent our cultural richness. For example, we don't even have a dedicated photography museum yet. We don't have a truly representative music museum either. So, there's still a lot of work ahead," he said.
In achieving his vision, Fadli emphasized the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors in financing museum development.
"This is why we need public-private partnerships. Funding doesn't have to rely entirely on the state budget (APBN). Contributions can come from the private sector, individuals and even village initiatives," he said on Monday, as quoted by Antara.
Besides securing a budget for developing museums, Fadli said, the ministry also planned to conduct training for museum managers and curators in collaboration with international institutions. (jan)